Project 86

Item: Truthless Heroes
Author: Vik Bansal

Truthless Heroes

(2002)

Reviewed by Vik Bansal

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Label Tooth & Nail RecordsThe Phantom Tollbooth2002

alternative metal hard rock nu metal rapcore

Back in 2000 the future was looking rosy for Project 86. Their major label debut, Drawing Black Lines, aptly produced by GGGarth, the producer of Rage Against The Machine's seminal debut album, had just been released to critical acclaim, and they were touring the US as part of a dream line-up with P.O.D. and Linkin Park. In the intervening two years, however, Project 86 have had to watch P.O.D. and Linkin Park sprint to mainstream success with combined album sales exceeding fifteen million, while they have remained resolutely rooted in relative obscurity.

Faced with this state of affairs, many lesser bands would have bowed to the temptation of compromising their art for the sake of commercial success. Not so Project 86. Instead, they have chosen to release what can only be described as a "concept album", though mercifully without all the connotations of hoary, 1970s progressive rock bands that that phrase conjures up. Truthless Heroes is a collection of thirteen songs, punctuated by four recorded "commercial breaks", that all take an angry, satirical and half-ironic look at the culture that surrounds us. With this background there are swipes at power-crazy politicians ("Little Green Men"):

Out of the playground's ashes
Come little men with little games
They're playing war
They're playing new crusades like new arcades.

There is despair at the attempted control of our lives by the state ("Salem's Suburbs"):

Who I am
Who I'll be
Has been decided for me
And they don't even know me.

There are attacks on herd mentality ("Know What I Mean"):

Do you know what it means
To be free?
Neither do I
Neither do we...
... Being a clone isn't all that it promised to be;

and, perhaps most surprisingly, there are diatribes against those in the church who commercialize the gospel for financial gain ("S.M.C."):

Faith is buying me a way
Buying me a way
To convert the masses into little servants...
... Our steeples are billboards
Our slogans are converts
Oh don't forget to buy this T-shirt
As you leave
And open up the offering box
And give until it hurts...
... Cause eternity's on up for sale for a small fee today.

In the light of all this vitriol, it is unsurprising that the accompanying music is suitably aggressive and defiant. However, to Project 86's credit, Truthless Heroes is not just an impenetrable mass of angst, rather a tune-filled collection of intent. Thus, amidst the squirming, dirty guitar riffs of "Little Green Men" and "Know What It Means," the band manages to wrestle out simply stunning choruses. "Caught In The Middle" and "Salem's Suburbs" take this template but throw verse harmonies into the cauldron. "S.M.C.," on the other hand, is a punk/hardcore wonder with an adrenaline pill of a chorus. "Team Black" mixes harmonies, a rage-filled bridge and a huge chorus, replete with pummelling bass drums, to brilliant effect. And the list goes on...

Doubtless, there will be some long-time followers of Project 86 who find this album difficult, both musically and lyrically. After all, this is not a rap-core album and there are no overt evangelistic statements. However, Truthless Heroes should be judged for what it is: thirteen excellent rock, punk and metal songs that make thoughtful, intelligent statements on the society we live in. And how often can you say that?

4 tocks